Christopher O'Connell will next face Jannik Sinner at the Miami Open. But it was his third round clash with Martin Damm. Jr which stood out for a moment of confrontation between the Aussie and the American.
O'Connell won the tough tie in a 7-6, 7-6 win. The incident occurred at 5-6 when O'Connell was serving to keep the set alive. He lost his temper and accused Damm of shouting while he was serving in order to distract him. This caused a moment of contention and also the umpire getting involved between the pair.
"What are you doing? Before I serve, you are yelling out. Right before I serve, you’re yelling out. Before I serve. I don’t really care if you do it after a point. But if you do it right before I serve...," O'Connell said.
"I am not doing anything," Damm replied. "Guys all of this is better if you come through me. Stop talking! (to Damm) It is not good if you talk to each other," the chair umpire said.
"What do you mean 'I am holding the ball'? The ball is in your hand. You are holding them. It's not when you’re serving," Damm said.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.